Winter Roadway Service Tool
Winter can bring challenging road conditions, but we’re here to help keep you safe. Our roads have clear timelines for snow and ice removal. This page explains how long it takes to clear your street and what happens during severe weather events.
Road classification and level of service
In Ontario, roads and highways are grouped into different categories called classifications. These classifications are based on factors such as how busy the road is, its speed limit, and its size. Each class has specific snow and ice maintenance timelines to ensure safety and accessibility.
You can find your road class using the property look-up tool below. Then use this table to learn what you can expect for maintenance timelines.
| Road class | Average daily traffic | Depth of snow accumulation | Time to clear snow after a storm ends | Time to treat icy roadways once identified (i.e. salt, sand) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 2: Major Arterial or Collector Roads | More than 15,000 vehicles |
5 cm |
Within 6 hours |
Within 4 hours |
| Class 3: Collector Roads or Bus Routes | Between 4,000 and 15,000 vehicles | 8 cm | Within 12 hours | Within 8 hours |
| Class 4: Residential or Commercial Roads | Between 500 and 4,000 vehicles | 8 cm | Within 16 hours | Within 12 hours |
|
Class 5: Residential Roads |
Between 50 and 500 vehicles | 10 cm | Within 24 hours | Within 16 hours |
Find your road class
Want to know when your street will be cleared? Enter your address to see its classification. A significant weather event might pause these service timelines until the event ends.
Significant weather events
When a significant weather event is declared, it pauses the regular timelines for winter maintenance. After the event ends, the City resumes its usual timelines.
Significant weather events affect road and sidewalk conditions. During these events, everyone needs to be extra careful when travelling, because it may take more time to return streets and sidewalks to normal.
Check the Niagara Region website for information, maps, and definitions of significant weather events when they occur: Significant Weather Events In Niagara.
Contact Us
City of Niagara Falls
4310 Queen Street
P.O. Box 1023
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5
Canada
905-356-7521
service@niagarafalls.ca